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This feature is a major evolutionary step in modern operating system kernel development.

I am happy to see that the Linux kernel developers embrace new technologies. We don't need a copycat kernel just as well as we don't need a copycat desktop environment. As was said erlier, the common user of the kernel is not affected at all by introducing this new feature until benefits for the general usage will surface and regressions are ruled out.

Causing less testing coverage since there are now multiple ways to configure a single kernel.

Just my opinion though.

Last time I built a kernel, there were thousands of configuration options One more is hardly gonna hurt...

Whether or not a particular option is used depends on the distro/target audience. As the article mentions this option is currently experimental (the kernel has always contained a few of those, you'll only see them if you tick "show experimental stuff"). Unless this option offers improvements for the average user, most distros will keep clear anyway. My guess: You'll not see this option in action any time soon, unless you build your own kernel.

Originally Posted by uid313

Would this be useful on a clockless asynchronous CPU?

The kernel's ticks and the CPU's clock rate are not related. A kernel that wakes up periodically potentially uses more power, whether the CPU is synchronous or asynchronous. Also, by "more" you mean "any relevant to the average user at all", right?